Which is right for you? Clear vs Colored Organizing Products?

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clear vs. colored bins

Everyone agrees that when it comes to organizing your home, one of the most fun parts is choosing the right bins, baskets, and containers. There is debate about what is best, either clear or colored organizing products. It is one decision of many you will need to make in purchasing products for your space. Both have their benefits and the best choice really depends on your space, your goals, and how your brain works. Here is how to break it down so you can find the best product for your organizing style.

Benefits of Clear Organizing Products

Clear bins, drawers, and containers are the best choice for many people for several reasons.

Pros:

  • Visibility
    • Out of sight is often out of mind. You can easily see what’s inside without opening anything. It is easy to remember what you have without any effort.
    • Clear containers are often the best choice for highly visual people. That is often the case for people with ADHD.
  • Inventory at a glance
    • What you have is easily visible, so you can know what inventory you have. This can be especially helpful in pantries, craft spaces, and toy rooms where you want to quickly access an item.
    • Your clear bin defines the quantity you can keep. You know your complete inventory because you see it in the bin.
  • Easy maintenance
    • Seeing what’s in each bin may make you more likely to keep it tidy and avoid overbuying duplicates.
    • Less decluttering because you see all the items together.
    • Easy to put away the items because of seeing items in the bin.Visual learners or “out of sight, out of mind” types.

Cons: Clear bins require more effort to look neat since everything inside is visible.  It can seem visually overwhelming to see a cluttered group of items stored together.

Benefits of Colored (or Opaque) Organizing Products

Colored bins, baskets, and boxes can be both beautiful and functional.  These are best for people who don’t want to see everything all the time.

Pros:

  • Visually tidy
    • You can hide items that appear messy in the bin or are not aesthetically pleasing.
    • Adding a label on the exterior of the bins makes it easy to know what is inside.
  • Adds creativity and color
    •  These bins can match your decor or make a bold statement in your space.
    • You can use the eco-friendly bins that you have around your home.
  • Establishes categories
    • Colored bins appeal to those with ADHD since color can be associated with specific content.
    • You can apply the same color in the same way in each space, such as assigning a green laundry hamper to one kiddo and having green walls in that kiddo’s room.

Cons: Keep your containers in uniform shapes to make the best use of space. All different shapes add to the chaos in your home.

So…Which Should You Choose?

The answer can be both! You don’t have to pick only one option since many homes benefit from a mix. Use clear bins where you need visibility. These are also useful in drawers and cabinets to create order.  Use colored bins where you want to keep color coordinated. Typically, I use 3 -5 different bins throughout the home to be able to switch up organizing products as needed.  I interchange these as needed and nest them for storage. There is no one perfect, best-organizing product. Use what you love where you love it.

5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Home Tidy and Orderly

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Keep your home orderly and tidy

Keeping your home or workspace neat can be quick and easy. A few simple habits and strategies can make all the difference for creating order, calm and clarity. Here are some friendly, low-key ways to maintain spaces without feeling like you’re always tidying up.

Be mindful of the purpose of each space

Each space in your home serves a purpose, and keeping that in mind can help keep clutter at bay. For example,  because your kitchen counter is used for food prep, serving and storage, you want to prevent it from becoming a drop zone for mail or backpacks. Bedrooms are for rest so keep work stuff in another room. When you align the items in a space with its intended use, it’s easier to notice what doesn’t belong, prevent clutter and keep it tidy.

Schedule regular decluttering

Decluttering doesn’t always mean a full day session of tossing. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and pick one drawer to declutter. Ask yourself if that sentimental item still means as much to you or go through a stack of papers to recycle. Doing a little bit regularly can prevent that overwhelming buildup that takes more time to tackle. And remember that this amount of progress moves you forward.

Adopt the One-Minute Rule

If a task takes less than one minute, just do it now. Hang the coat, toss the junk mail, return the scissors to the drawer. These tiny actions are easy to delay, but they add up quickly. Taking care of them in real-time keeps your space naturally tidier without needing a big cleanup later. Model this for all your family to help them adopt this rule too.

Create a “home” for everything

One of the easiest ways to keep your space tidy is to make sure everything has a place to live. When an item has a designated home, it’s much easier to use, put away, and to find later.  Use baskets, bins and trays to keep countertops organized for items you use frequently and deserve to be out to see. Help everyone in your family tidy up with labels inside drawers and your pantry. Set up a system with items organized at the point of use for easy storage.

Pencil in your Sunday Reset

Your Sunday Reset is a self-care gift. Set aside 30 minutes each Sunday (or whatever day works for you) to do a reset of your home. These few small tasks get you ready for the week ahead. This could include putting things back where they belong, tossing out expired food, wiping down surfaces, and resetting shared spaces like the kitchen, living room, or entryway. This reset once a week can make the whole place not only look tidier but also feel lighter.

Staying tidy doesn’t mean your home is always picture-perfect. Life is messy and that’s okay to have the look and the feel of a “lived in home” rather than looking like a magazine cover. A few consistent, easy habits make tidying up easier to accomplish and gives you positive energy every day.

5 Best Ways to Organize Your Finances

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5 best ways to organize your finances

 

If your budget is tight and you want to know more about your spending habits, you are in good company. With digital purchases, subscriptions and instagram shopping, it’s not easy to track where you are spending. For people with ADHD, financial organizing can feel scary.  Some simple systems can help you organize your finances to be more intentional about where your money is going.

Use budgeting and money management apps

There are outstanding apps to help you learn more. Budgeting apps like YNAB (You Need A Budget), Monarch, or Quicken can automatically sync with your bank and credit cards to track where your money goes. They let you categorize purchases (like groceries, entertainment, or gas) and set limits for each. You will learn where you are spending the most and prioritize as a result. The best part is these are automated and make the process easy.

Create a digital shopping list 

Impulse spending, emotional purchases and over purchasing are budget killers. The best way to put a halt to this is with a running shopping list on a shared google sheets, your phone or a notes app. List your monthly subscriptions and evaluate the recurring time frame. As you “prep” for just in case before the hurricane season, review your items monthly and rotate your stock quarterly.

There are many strategies to pause purchases with a digital shopping list. You can divide the list into “Needs” and “Wants” to help you stay intentional and avoid buying things you don’t really need. You can add items to your Wish List to keep for later. This helps you avoid duplicate purchases and buyer’s remorse.

 

Use your power with Amazon

Amazon purchases can really pile up fast, especially with subscriptions, gifts, and those “just one more thing” buys. There are practical ways to organize and analyze your Amazon purchases so you stay on top of your spending and get the most out of every dollar:

Amazon actually lets you download a spreadsheet of your entire order history. Here’s how:

  • Go to Accounts & Lists > Your Account

  • Click “Order History Reports”

  • Choose the report type (items, refunds, returns, etc.)

  • Select a date range

  • Download as a CSV file

You can open this in Excel or Google Sheets to sort, categorize, and total your purchases. Match this with your credit card statement to be sure you are being charged properly. Save money with Amazon returns with a designated weekly errand run for returns. This is especially helpful for a business and also at tax time!

Set up automatic reminders for recurring purchases and subscriptions. 

Forgotten subscriptions and entertainment purchases can add extra expenses. Use your phone calendar, app alerts, or email reminders to remind you about recurring payment and the costs, such as streaming services, memberships, or auto-refills. Make a list of these costs to evaluate the ongoing need for each. This gives you time to cancel or adjust them before you’re charged.

Set a monthly review of your and your family purchases with your partner

Families spend less when they each know what they are spending. Once a month, set aside 30 minutes to review your spending. You can use Google sheets or create reports from your apps to know where you are spending each month. Set up a comparison to look month to month. Look at what categories are over or under budget. Together, ask yourselves:

  • Did I buy what I actually needed?

  • What can I cut back next month?

  • Is there a pattern in my spending?

Our family also has created Standard Operating Procedures for purchases. If a purchase is over $100 (which almost any purchase is) we confer on whether to purchase. This is not about being giving permission to purchase but rather a conversation about our overall purchasing strategy.

 

If you have felt the pinch of how expensive everything is, it is time to choose a system that will help you track how you are spending your money. Financial organizing in 2025 doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools, a few good habits, and a mindset of intentional spending, you can feel confident and in control about every dollar you spend.

25 Tips for Spring Organizing: Refresh Your Space for the Season

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25 tips for spring organizing

 

Spring is the perfect time to declutter, organize, and refresh your space. As the weather warms up, your energy soars to tidy up your home and simplify your life. It is time to let go of stuff and refresh your space for the season. You can best manage your organizing by focusing on areas of organization, such as decluttering by room, thinking about smart storage, and creating a schedule for routines and maintenance. Here are 25 tips to help you get started on your spring organizing journey.

Declutter First

The first step in any organizing project is to declutter.

  1. Start Small.  This is always the best way to start your organizing, regardless of the season. It is also the best way to manage stress. Choose one drawer or shelf to organize before tackling larger spaces. Set a timer for 15 minutes and get going.
  2. Use the 12-Month Rule. Decision making is easier if you have a “rule” to follow about what to keep and how long to keep it. If you haven’t used it in a year, donate or discard it.
  3. Gather items together by category to see what you have. As visual people, that makes it easier to make a decision. Declutter by Category. Sort through clothes, books, kitchen gadgets, and papers separately.
  4. Be proactive about what you bring into your space. As you declutter, make an inventory of what you have. When you know what you have and where it is located, you prevent overshopping.
  5. Check out this record retention schedule for paper work. Too often paper clutter builds up because we need to know how long to keep that information. Be brutal about paperwork from the winter, shred and recycle what you don’t need.

Organize Your Home Room-by-Room

Know what each space is used for and keep your stuff where it is used most. Take the time for a reset of the most frequently used spaces in your home.

  1. Do a landing strip makeover. Empty bags that have collected, move returns along, and get jackets back to closets. Freshening up this space gives you energy as you enter your home.
  2. Refresh your pantry. Spring and summer are the best times for fresh vegetables. Dispose of expired food, organize pantry items, and use clear containers to organize for easy visibility.
  3. Cut the closet clutter. Donate unworn winter attire, rotate seasonal clothing, and use slim hangers to save space.
  4. Make a medicine cabinet overhaul. Toss expired toiletries, arrange daily essentials on the countertop, and update cabinet bins.
  5. Review your nightstand storage. Throw out trash, move books, and refresh your hand cream next to your bed. Review where you charge your devices and move these to a common charging space in the kitchen.

Smart Storage Solutions

Storage solutions can make your space more functional. Review what is not working and how you can improve access and function in your home.

  1. Take a look at your use of vertical space.  See where you can install shelves, hooks, and wall-mounted organizers to maximize storage.
  2. Label for function. Use a label maker, which makes it easier for people to put things away, like the pantry or dresser. Choose a label maker you love, or choose labels purchased by sets on Amazon.
  3. A basket can make a difference. Choose a simple solution like this to store baskets, toys, or magazines stylishly.
  4. Even a small space can be improved with drawer dividers. See where you can subdivide a small space with an organizer to keep it tidy.
  5. If you have a “black hole” under stair storage, choose functional organizers to make this area more accessible. You can add tiered shelving or large stackable totes with labels to store large items in an organized way.

Bring in a team

No one wants to work alone. There are so many ways to work as a team and add help.

  1. Mobilize the family to help with organizing. Set a timer and add an incentive like an ice cream sundae party at the conclusion of your work.
  2. If house cleaning is a constant struggle, ask friends and neighbors who are also on their cleaning team. A once a month cleaning can be an affordable addition if you budget for it.
  3. Automate your meal prep with the addition of curbside pick up or auto ship.
  4. Set up apps on your devices for spring organizing and cleaning lists. You don’t have to reinvent anything when you add a recurring event.
  5. Refresh your connections by sending a card for Passover, Easter or just because. Look in the stock you have at home, pick up your cards from the grocery store or purchase on Amazon. Sit in the sunshine in your yard and write out a few cards at a time. Receiving a card in the mail is a wonderful and thoughtful gift.

Maintain Your Progress

You have come so far! Keep it up with a maintenance plan.

  1. Set up your Sunday reset to ensure you keep your home tidy. With your family, spend 30 minutes each Sunday putting things away.
  2. Set monthly organizing goals to keep your home clutter-free. If you work one hour, once a month, in one area, you keep clutter from creeping back.
  3. Implement a family cleaning schedule with assignments for trash, refrigerator clean out, and other routine tasks.
  4. Be proactive about what you bring into your home. Now that you have started your Spring organizing, you see what you did not need. Take that perspective to the next level as you shop.
  5. Celebrate Your Success! Reward yourself for achieving organizing milestones!

 

Spring organizing can be easy to accomplish by breaking these steps into manageable time slots throughout April.  Keep it simple by setting a time to work with a timer. Make it fun with music. By taking small, manageable steps and implementing practical storage solutions, you can create a tidy and refreshing home environment. Happy organizing!

How to Create a Decluttering Schedule

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how to create a decluttering schedule

 

Our busy lives leave little time to declutter. The secret to getting and staying organized in decluttering on a regular basis. What does that look like? Perhaps it is time for a decluttering schedule. Here is how to create your customized schedule.

 

How do you know if you need a schedule?

The first big tip if you need a schedule is if no decluttering happens at your home. Much more comes in thanks to Amazon and other purchases than is removed. Maybe you don’t realize how little is leaving until you are overwhelmed by the clutter in your home. You might resist the idea of a schedule. Start with some small additions to your calendar with some flexibility. Adding a short burst of decluttering at a high energy time makes it easier to get this done. If you schedule monthly decluttering, for an hour, written in your calendar, you will begin to declutter with less effort.

 

Why does a schedule work?

Having a decluttering schedule adds consistency and accountability to your decluttering goals. With this schedule, your clutter will not accumulate to an overwhelming level. When you have set times and dates to declutter, you will fulfill your plan by simply following your calendar. The energy used for your schedule also gives you energy to spontaneously declutter. You realize when items have served their purpose, are ready to go because you have empowered your sense of decluttering.

 

How do you set up your decluttering schedule?

There are many ways to effectively schedule decluttering.

  • Use your existing routine to set up your schedule. Learn this by knowing your habits and what works for you. If you are a morning person, declutter in the morning. When you go to the grocery store, declutter the refrigerator first to add space for new products.
  • Set a schedule for decluttering on a routine basis, such as daily, weekly, or monthly.  Daily decluttering might be your bag or purse. Weekly decluttering could be trash in all spaces, which coincides with weekly trash pick up.
  • Make a list of areas to declutter and set one hour once a week to work in micro-steps in those spaces. Write that time on your calendar and the location of your efforts.
  • Seasonal decluttering can focus on family events. Declutter before each birthday and holiday.
  • Whatever your schedule, commit to it by writing it down and making a list. Seeing your work helps you keep to your schedule.
  • Pair a schedule with a strategy. You might choose the Konmari method or a Decluttering Challenge.  

Pro tips for successful decluttering

Decluttering is hard even with a schedule. Remember to set criteria for what is going to leave that helps remove the emotional or financial attachment to your stuff. Criteria should be clear and specific. You may need to bring in help such as a family member or professional organizer to create a little emphasis on your criteria. If you find yourself struggling over items, put those aside and work with the easiest decisions first. It is easiest to delete by category, so be sure to group together similar items to decide on what to keep.

 

A decluttering schedule might be what you need to ensure you are successful!

 

 

25 Strategies for Time Management for those with ADHD

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25 strategies for time management with adhd

 

Time management is just one of the Executive Function challenges of those with ADHD. With that comes a lack of time awareness and the effect of time blindness. Being on time for a meeting, meeting deadlines, and juggling priorities feels overwhelming at times. There are practical strategies that can make a difference.

1. Use Visual Timers and Analog Clocks

Use external tools that make it easier to “see” time. Leverage timers or countdown clocks to stay aware of time passing. Post analog clocks in places that will help you move forward with work and movement. The best places for an analog clock are easily in sight at you sit at your desk or in spaces that have no window.

2. Break Tasks into Small Steps

It is common for work to feel overwhelming when it is not broken into smaller sections. Chunk larger projects into manageable tasks to avoid overwhelm. For instance, to prepare your taxes, you an create tasks such as gather documents, list income, list medical expences, list other deductions, list estimated tax payments and so forth. Each step gets you closer to the completed project.

3. Prioritize Using a Top-Three List

Prevent being overwhelmed by the length of your list. Choose the three Most Important Tasks (MITs) to focus on each day. Write that list where you can see it all day long to keep on track.

4. Set Specific Time Blocks

Use time blocking to dedicate certain hours to specific activities. A time block can be of a duration that gives you optimal focus time. When blocks are too frequent it creates paralysis. Aim for a duration that you work best.

5. Create a Daily Routine

Your daily routine is how you start the day, end the day, and start your work day. Create a checklist that helps you stay on track. The checklist helps you stay true to your plan. Consistency helps reduce decision fatigue and improves focus.

6. Use Alarms and Reminders

Alarms help us break through hyperfocus. Set multiple alarms for appointments, breaks, or task transitions. Remember to give yourself plenty of transition time to adhere to your schedule.

7. Adopt a Hybrid Calendar

There is no one perfect calendar. Your phone is with you all the time. You get online invitations to keep on your digital calendar. At the same time, you crave seeing the calendar and writing stuff down. The best way to calendar is with a hybrid combination that integrates a shared or personal calendar for scheduling.

8. Time Tasks with Double and Triple Time Estimates

Since time awareness is not a strength, it is difficult to estimate how long tasks take. Give yourself ample time to work by doubling and tripling the amount of time given to any task or project. You will feel that you can do your best work this way.  Start any task or project as early as possible to give yourself this time allocation.

9. Start with a Brain Dump

A cluttered mind makes it hard to get stuff done. Write down all tasks cluttering your mind before organizing them. Remember this long list will be prioritized and streamlined. Having a list frees up mental space to be available for real work. Choose a way to make your brain dump manageable by arranging it by category or urgency. Take the next step wth a daily and weekly list.

10. Set Boundaries for Distractions

There are so many distractions in our lives. Eliminate or limit distractions by silencing notifications or creating a focused workspace. Set a boundary for sleep and rest with charging your devices in a common charging space, not in your bedroom. Your boundaries will help you feel more productive and better rested.

11. Follow the Two-Minute Rule

It is hard to come back to a task. If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.

12. Practice Time Blocking with Breaks

Mental capacity is improved with breaks. Schedule short breaks between work sessions to reset focus. Take a walk, hydrate or text a friend to take a break and clear your mind.

13. Designate a “Landing Zone”

Looking for lost items is frustrating and time-consuming. Create a specific area for essentials like keys, wallet, or phone to save time searching. You will feel better as you start and end your day knowing where your essentials are at all times.

14. Use Color-Coding

Color can help you categorize your day. Color-code your calendar or to-do list to visually differentiate tasks such as starting the day, deep dive work, and break time. Seeing each segment helps you adhere to your plan. You can also color code your family activities on your calendar by person, activity or task.

15. Start with the Easiest Task

It feels good to accomplish a bit quickly and easily. Build momentum by checking off simple tasks first. Keep a list of quick tasks to get done to feel energized.

16. Practice Body Doubling

The science behind body doubling is that working parallel lends energy to both workers. Work alongside a friend or coworker to stay on track. You will be amazed at the results.

17. Set a “Done-for-the-Day” Time

Because time is blurry, overworking and undefined end times for work contribute to feeling drained. Define when to stop working to have time for self-care and fun. That time should be the same every day. If you decide to work longer one day, make it the same day every week.

18. Use Post-It Notes for Key Reminders

Post-it notes make everything easy to see. Place visual reminders where you’ll see them. Edit your notes once a week for clarity and to reset your goals. A favorite post-it note of mine is the 4 by 6 size with lines.

19. Batch Similar Tasks Together

Batching works well in many situations. Rather than return a single call or make a single appointment, group similar or repetitive tasks to save time and gain momentum.

20. Avoid Multitasking

Research shows that you lose time and efficiency when you multi-task. Allow yourself to do your best. Focus on one task at a time to reduce errors and stay efficient. If you are distracted by multiple tasks, write a quick list on a Post-it note to clear your mind.

21. Embrace the Power of Deadlines

Deadlines always make things happen. Set specific, short-term deadlines to create small steps for a tasks with specific outcomes. It is easier to accomplish a long term deadline with smaller chunks of deadlines.

22. Create a Reward System

Small rewards are often a key motivator. That can be a punch card with 5-10 punches for a reward. Or it can be a jar with small rewards listed by you that you reward after you accomplish particularly unmotivating tasks.

23. Declutter Your Workspace Regularly

A cluttered workspace is highly distracting. Keep your space organized to minimize visual distractions by having a weekly reset. Clear cups, toss trash and move items back to their homes to gain clarity.

24. Leverage ADHD-Friendly Apps

Many apps leverage your strengths. Choose to learn and use apps like Todoist, Notion, or Trello for tracking and planning. Each has many ways that can enhance reminders, calendars, and overall project success.

25. Practice Self-Care

The most important productivity tip is to practice self-care which includes high-protein meals, 8 hours of rest in bed, some walking outside, and hydration. Self-care is also the most difficult to accomplish. Set yourself up for success by taking time to take care of yourself.

 

Choose one of these strategies to implement and see the difference!

Unlocking the Power of Keystone Habits

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keystone habits

 

Each of us has daily habits we rely on. That could be making our bed every day, drinking 8 glasses of water, or even falling asleep with the TV on or hitting snooze too many times. Certain habits have a bigger impact and have a ripple effect that influences many areas of life. These powerful habits are called keystone habits, and they act as the foundation for organizing, productivity, and overall well-being.

What Are Keystone Habits?

Keystone habits are routines or behaviors that trigger positive changes in multiple areas of your life. Just like dominoes, the natural impact of one habit hits another habit. When you establish one, it naturally encourages other good habits to fall into place. Keystone habits create a structure for your life, which helps you make better choices without overthinking them. Habits fall more naturally into place. Keystone habits set off a chain reaction of positive change. Try thinking about one of these six powerful keystone habits this week.

 

Quality Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest is a keystone habit that impacts every part of your life. Restful sleep leads to better brain function, better decision-making, and increase energy. That energy helps you perform better throughout the day and stay with all your other good habits.  Start this keystone habit by preparing for bed extra early. Get ready well ahead of your planned bedtime and set aside all devices for an hour.

 

Regular Exercise

Exercise is a game-changer when it comes to keystone habits. Exercise boosts your mood, increases energy levels, improves focus, and enhances self-discipline. Get started with a daily walk, try online yoga, park farther away, or take the stairs. Use your smartwatch to help you remember your new keystone habit.

 

Daily Planning

The simple habit of writing things down can lead to significant benefits. Writing stuff down can be done either by using a planner or journaling every day. Using a planner helps you stay organized, reduces anxiety, and improves time management. Journaling is a type of self-care that encourages self-reflection, gratitude, and mindfulness. Both habits create structure and clarity in your day. Start small by choosing a simple planner or journal that is both pretty and functional. Place it in a spot where it will be used daily. Choose writing implements that feel good in your hand. Choose a time of day that works with capturing your ideas and thoughts.

 

Meal planning

The way you eat and what you eat affects everything, from your energy levels to your mood and productivity. Mindful impacts awareness and intentionality in every part of your day. Especially important is including protein in your meal plan. Get started in a small way by making a list of foods that will be easy to prepare and what you love to eat. Start meal planning slowly by purchasing healthy boxed meals that are quick to prepare. Choose fruits and veggies that are pre-cut in the grocery store as snacks to carry with you. Partner with your family in meal planning and preparation.

 

Connection

Strong relationships reduce stress, increase happiness, and improve resilience. Prioritizing quality time with loved ones fosters a sense of belonging and emotional security. A quick text can make a big difference. Social support makes it easier to maintain routines such as exercising and healthy eating. Make this a keystone habit by setting time for family dinner, joining a pilates or yoga class, or sending a handwritten card.

 

Daily learning

Making daily learning a keystone habit helps us expand our knowledge and creativity. Perhaps you have gotten bored with all the routines. By encouraging curiosity and problem-solving, you are boosting your clarity and cognitive abilities. Daily learning can start with reading a new blog, listening to a podcast, or writing in your journal.

You don’t have to start every keystone habit or overhaul all you do. Start with just one habit and see how it leads to other positive changes. When you focus on building strong foundational routines, everything else begins to fall into place effortlessly. Which keystone habit will you start with today? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about your journey to a more productive and fulfilling life!

 

 

25 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Organized Every Day

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25 simple ways to keep your home organized every day

I am celebrating 25 years in business! Throughout the year I will be sharing 25 tips on many different topics. 

 

Keeping your home organized doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a few practical and easy strategies, you can create a calm, functional, and welcoming space. Whether tackling a single room or the entire house, these 25 tips will help you bring order to every corner of your home.

1. Start Small

Begin with one drawer, shelf, or corner. Small wins build momentum for larger organizing projects.

2. Declutter Regularly

When you feel overwhelmed, it is time to declutter. Use that feeling to edit and declutter. Take one minute to drop what you no longer need or love into a donation bag. Just that small release empowers you to release more.

3. Use Clear Bins

Clear containers make it easy to see what’s inside, which saves time and frustration. Make it easy to see what you have and know you have it, which is also money-saving.

4. Label Everything

Labels keep your storage system clear for everyone in the household. A label maker is an easy, efficient, and clear product that helps you label. Or you can take your labeling to the next step with lovely labels purchased online at Etsy or Amazon. You can buy a set for a specific space like a pantry or other area of your home.

5. Designate a Home for Everything

When everything is out, there are not enough homes for specific items. Ensure each item has a designated spot to return to after use. The best place to create a home is at the designated point of use. If that spot does not have adequate space, it is time to declutter.

6. Tackle Paper Clutter

Sort mail and paperwork daily. Take the next steps always and create a specific home for the papers once sorted. That might be a file system or simply one box for the year. Use a filing system to manage important documents.

7. Use Vertical Space

There are spots you might not be using for effective storage. Install shelves, hooks, and over-the-door organizers to maximize storage potential. Shop online for products to help with these creative storage spaces.

8. Rotate Seasonal Items

It is common for us to use additional, secondary storage. Store out-of-season clothes and decorations in labeled bins or an additional hanging rack to free up space. Turn the hangers backwards to see what you wore that is stored in this space. Cull out what has not been worn in several years.

9. Organize by Category

“Kondo” your organizing by using categories to organize. For easy access, that is to group similar items, like kitchen utensils or office supplies. Think of creative categories that match the way you think to create zones and an organized space.

10. Invest in Drawer Dividers

A drawer can be a big hole when it comes to organizing. Use dividers or baskets to prevent drawers from becoming catch-alls and keep items neatly separated. Be sure to label the spaces inside the drawer as well.

11. Create a Donation Box

The easiest way to declutter is to have a donation box. Keep a box handy for items you’re ready to part with and donate regularly.

12. Utilize Under-Bed Storage

When you think about access and extra storage, think about under-bed storage. Store less-used items in bins under your bed to save closet space.

13. Make Use of Hooks

Hooks make it easy to see what you have and easy to maintain a space. Hooks are perfect for organizing bags, hats, and coats in entryways or closets. Command hooks or decorative hooks create a nook for you to use as a landing strip in your entry.

14. Corral Cords

One of the ugly side effects of technology is the many cords around us. Use cord organizers or zip ties to manage electronic cables and chargers. Set up a common charging station to minimize cords.

15. Organize the Fridge

The inside of your refrigerator is like any other cabinet. Use bins to group similar foods and clean out expired items weekly on trash day.

16. Create a Cleaning Schedule

A tidy house is easy to organize. Creating a cleaning schedule and assigning family members to help make it easier to clean. Break down cleaning tasks by day to avoid overwhelming catch-up sessions.

17. Optimize Kitchen Storage

Add storage to your existing cabinets and drawers with a little help from organizing products. Use shelf risers, lazy Susans, and stacking containers to maximize cabinet space.

18. Designate Drop Zones

A drop zone for essentials saves time and frustration. It is as simple as setting up trays or baskets for keys, wallets, and mail near the entrance or on a dresser in a bedroom.

19. Sort Toys by Type

Toy rooms are overwhelming to both kiddos and parents. Use labeled bins or baskets for categories like blocks, dolls, or art supplies to make cleanup easier. Apply the same effort to game stations.

20. Purge Expired Products

Purchasing in preparation can lead to lots of expirations. Go through pantry items, toiletries, and medications to eliminate expired goods at the beginning and end of each season.

21. Maintain Closet Order

Love the look of order in your closet but get behind in getting dry cleaning or laundry back in order? Make it easy by hanging clothes by category or color and using matching hangers for a uniform look. Set aside a weekly time to reset your closet back to order.

22. Keep Counters Clear

No need to be a minimalist, however, you can limit counter items to essentials to reduce visual clutter. In the bathroom, set a tray with what you use regularly including a small dish for jewelry. In the kitchen use a tray to lay keys, wallets, and other essentials. When items stray off the tray, it is time for a reset.

23. Store Linens Smartly

Cull out extra linens and use shelf dividers or baskets to keep sheets and towels neatly stacked.

24. Embrace a weekly reset

Life is busy! With little time to put things away, your home gets out of order. Set a weekly time each weekend to prepare for the week ahead with a reset of getting everything back in order.

25. Involve the Family

Teach everyone in your home these organizing habits for shared responsibility and maintenance.

 

Start with one small step to implement organizing in your home. Remember, only you know what is best for an organized home that works for you and your family. Start small, stay consistent, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a tidy and efficient living space!

 

Adapting to Unprecedented Change

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Adapting to unprecedented change

 

I am noticing a common conversation this year. It is a conversation at my home and with clients. How did life get so complicated? How is it that so much is changing and that change feels harder? This conversation is going on all around us! Recently listening to Brene Brown, I learned that we are in a super cycle of change. There is an unprecedented amount of change at an unprecedented velocity. Here are some strategies on how will we work with this amount of change.

 

Lay a strong foundation of self-care

When velocity is beyond our capacity, we have the power to pause. A strong foundation of self-care gives us the knowledge of when to pause. It is especially important to have a bedtime that supports a great night’s sleep. Being wise means creating a supportive environment with a common changing area for devices in the kitchen, getting ready for bed an hour in advance with no blue light, keeping your bedroom dark, and lowering the temperature in your home.

 

Maximize the value of organizing

Being proactive means being prepared. Tidy up your physical space, your mental clarity and your digital space while change is happening.  That includes systems for letting go and decluttering, categorizing and grouping, and then organizing and maintaining. Allocate time each week to keep the flow of organizing going at home and work. Being organized includes ways to anticipate obstacles and work to eliminate the element of surprise. Well-crafted systems take challenges into account and anticipate issues in the system. Strategize on what would go wrong in your new system and what would be Plan B or Plan C if needed. Recognize the objections of others on your team and work together to build a better system.

 

Take a perspective of curiosity and learning

Lead with curiosity on how you can learn when change happens. Learn a new skill or create a new system for home and work.  Become comfortable with creating “hacks” as you learn more. As you embrace learning, change feels more comfortable. Your perspective of learning will lean into personal and professional growth.

 

Be a data nerd

There is so much data around us now. You might have an Apple watch that tells your sleep pattern and daily step count. You have access to your financial accounts and credit reports. Use your data wisely with a healthy dose of skepticism. Remember that most information on social media is coming to you with an algorithm and curate that wisely. Learn from the data and make wise choices based on this information.

 

Surround yourself with support

All manner of support is around you. There is help available for all sorts of learning. The first step is to ask for help in the areas you need. Know and acknowledge that asking for help means you are proactively taking positive steps for yourself.  Move into a space of learning and connection to research the help you need. Look for people to be a part of your team who work well with change as well. Learn to be a helper to others as well. If you can give s short cut, share a meal, or give a hug, you are giving back. Remember we are all in this together.

 

Maintaining a positive perspective with change

There are many times when we look forward to change. A few of these are going to college, getting married, having children, buying your first home, or taking a vacation.  Each change includes experiencing something new, at a cost, involving modifying a lifestyle choice. Each of these changes involves agency, that being the opportunity for you to make decisions about the changes. When you are making a change that is forced on you, it is important to create a strong positive reason you connect with every day to have a positive perspective.

 

Giving yourself grace and lots of self-care.

You have high expectations. That saying, if Plan A fails there is the rest of the alphabet. Stay the course and give yourself grace. Change occurs over the long haul. Expect imperfection and those obstacles already assessed. Self-care can always be your best route to processing and accepting change. I notice that everyone does better with a good night’s rest. If it is a rough day, get in your jammies and get in bed early without your devices. Another option is being outside and getting exercise. You will feel much better after a short walk than after time on your device so get outside. Have a headache? Grab a big glass of water. You know yourself best to know how to take the best care of yourself.

 

As the year begins, I recommend doing a recap. Write out your recap and look back on all your resilience this year. Allow yourself to acknowledge all the successes you have had this year. This is a starting point for the new year.

7 Ways to Declutter Your Stuff and Your Life

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7 ways to declutter your stuff and life

 

If all the fa la la la la ended up with add to cart, January is the antidote to over consumption. Freshening up your space and clearing out are what everyone feels as the new year begins. Check out these 7 ways to declutter your stuff and life.

 

Always start small

Make it easy to start with a small start. That means setting a timer for 15 minutes and filling a donation bag. Go room to room to find easy to donate items that have been ready to go for a while. Or start in a small space like your make up drawer or top dresser drawer to sort, categorize and let go of what you have stuffed in there when you needed to clear a counter.

 

Go for the low hanging fruit

You have moved stuff all year long that has no place in your home. It is time for it to go out into the universe. Fill a bag with those things that has frustrated you all year long. Instantly you will feel the difference.

 

Go KonMari

Likely you did not know how many (fill in the blank) you had because these were all over. Marie Kondo suggests gathering all the items together and then organizing. Categorize items that have been spread out, evaluate how many you need and let go of your over abundance.

 

Host a paper purge

Maybe your paper and mail have been stuffed away for a while. Grab it and head to a big table to sort and purge. Create recycle, shred, and keep piles. Paper sorting may be your most hated activity so put on a happy playlist to keep you moving.

 

Overview your over-commitment

The holidays may have been a little too busy. Maybe you are overwhelmed by looking at your January calendar and all your over-commitment. January is a great time to winnow down and prioritize your time. Look over your volunteering and other commitments and determine which are meaningful and purposeful for you. Having less on your calendar and more white space gives you opportunity to think.

 

Join a challenge

Join an online decluttering challenge for connecting and accountability. Each day you are assigned an area to work on. There is lots of fun connecting to others who are also decluttering and lots of accountability to act on your intentions.

 

Systemize it

Make your decluttering last all year with a system to declutter. Whether that is a chart for each space in your home, an appointment with a certified professional organizer or coach, or a game with rewards, you are making your decluttering a part of your daily life with a system that reinforces letting go.

 

Check in each week for a new perspective on decluttering this January. Next up! Thinking about downsizing and how to be ready when the time comes!